Hartford Business Journal

30 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 3, 2023 Community giving: The right thing to do and good business By Ed Danek M y father grew up during the Great Depression, and like so many others who came of age during that time, he endured considerable sacrifice and hardship. Amid these seemingly endless struggles, another lesson resonated, one having to do with communities rallying together to support one another during difficult times. That lesson has always stayed with me and has helped shape my career, which for several decades, has involved running a community-based credit union. Many credit unions were formed during the Great Depression in order to pool resources while providing basic savings and lending services to those who desperately needed them. To this day, credit unions continue to exemplify that very philosophy of "People helping people." Community giving doesn't merely help the people or organizations receiving the donations, it benefits the entire community. When businesses donate to charities that benefit children, the homeless, the elderly, the abused, or people facing food insecurity, it's true there is a tangible benefit to those recipients. But by providing support necessary to establish or reestablish people as productive citizens, the impact strengthens the general well-being of the entire community. In short, community giving isn't just the right thing to do, it is also good business. Hartford Federal Credit Union embraces this philosophy. We recently announced a 2023 giving initiative to donate $250,000 to charitable organizations that have an immediate and positive impact on the lives of those in need. As a result of our record 2022 operating results, we are not only blessed to be able to do so in 2023, but as a successful business, we feel it is our moral obligation to the communities we serve. Offering people a helping hand can provide peace of mind, even relieving beneficiaries of stresses robbing them of life's simple joys. And what if that is just what they need to get through a difficult time? What if having a little help paying a bill or buying food will permit them to focus on things that will benefit them and their families? Sometimes a small gesture is all it takes to change someone's outlook or set them on a new course. Everyone has the power to make an impact, particularly the private sector. What we do today can lead to lasting change. Beyond that, people who live and work in our communities welcome and should expect this type of commitment from local businesses. When businesses make the effort to support vital community organiza- tions — and there are many great examples of this occurring in our Connecticut communities — this inspires individuals in the community to align with these businesses and to become lifelong, loyal customers. Simply put, people like to support local businesses that have demon- strated a commitment to their community. We love doing business in our communities where philanthropy is built into our business model, just as it is by other successful companies. In the 1930s, my father saw first-hand what happens when communities come together. These are lessons we continue to live by, and from which we all can continue to benefit. During these difficult times, where runaway inflation has placed dispro- portionate hardship on people of modest means and even the middle class, we invite others to join us and other local businesses to lend a hand to those in need. Ed Danek is CEO of Hartford Federal Credit Union, with offices in Hartford, West Simsbury, South Windsor and Stafford. Ed Danek Vernon law firm Kahan Kerensky Capossela LLP announced that attorney Brandon Fontaine has been named a partner. Fontaine is a member of the firm's litigation department, where he leads the appellate and family law practice areas. He joined the firm in 2021. Nonprofit Achieve Hartford — which is made up of private-sector leaders looking to close the oppor- tunity and education gap in Greater Hartford — has named Chris Marcelli its new executive director. Marcelli joined Achieve Hartford in 2016, taking on increasing levels of responsibility and leadership. Most recently he was program director since June 2020. He replaces Paul Diego Holzer, who recently left the organization after 12 years as executive director. Lawyer Dinora Lopez has joined Middletown-based Liberty Bank as senior vice president and associate general counsel. Lopez joined Liberty Bank from private law practice, having worked with and counseled senior leaders at many banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. Most recently, she was a senior associate with law firm Gfeller Laurie LLP. In addition, Liberty Bank announced additions and promo- tions on its affordable lending team: Fanita Borges has been promoted to residential sales manager; Pamela Hippolyte has been named afford- able mortgage lending officer; Linda Urbanec, Dante Galvez and Ivan Cruz have been hired as affordable lending originators; and Sofia (Ana) Mendonca has been hired as a loan officer assistant. Hartford accounting and advisory firm Whittlesey announced the promotions of Matthew Burry and Ashley Yanik to assurance manager. Burry has been with Whittlesey for over four years, specializing in providing assurance and advisory services for nonprofit, real estate, retail and manufacturing clients. Yanik joined Whittlesey in 2018, bringing over five years of experience in public accounting. Yanik works with closely-held businesses, real estate entities, and nonprofit organizations. C.E. Floyd Co., a Middle- town-based general contractor and construction manager, has promoted Jeff Palmer to pres- ident of Connecticut operations. He is also a company shareholder. Palmer, a resident of Tolland, has been with C.E. Floyd since 2000. He will continue to be responsible for overall project execution, devel- oping leaders, building relationships and managing risk for C.E. Floyd's Connecticut operations. Hartford law firm Neubert, Pepe & Monteith P.C. has hired attorney Robert J. Johnson as counsel. Johnson is a trial attorney with exten- sive experience in insurance defense and litigation. He has over 23 years of experience as a trial attorney, representing indi- viduals, businesses and insurers in a variety of civil matters. Law firm Pullman & Comley LLC has hired retired Judge Marshall K. Berger as a member of its alternative dispute resolution practice. His focus will be on the mediation of land use, zoning, environ- mental and construc- tion matters. He will be based in the firm's Hartford office. Berger spent more than 30 years on the bench starting when he was appointed as a Connecticut Superior Court judge in September 1988. In 2012, he established the Land Use Docket, a specialized Connecticut Superior Court judicial assignment that focuses exclusively on land use and environmental cases. Glastonbury-based Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina has announced the promotion of CPA Karlene Barry to partner. Barry has more than 20 years of public accounting experience servicing a variety of industries with a concentration in closely held busi- nesses and their owners. Chris Marcelli Dinora Lopez Jeff Palmer Robert J. Johnson Marshall Berger Karlene Barry If we want to attract and keep the next LEGO, we need to invest in our cities and the innovation and culture within them. When General Electric left Connecticut, it was a wake-up call to the shifting reality of economic urbanization. In the years since, we've made progress investing in our cities and the entrepreneurs who bring them alive, but LEGO's relocation is a sign of how far we have to go. Connecticut's path forward depends on our ability to invest in this shared vision for inclusive growth through our cities — and build the envi- ronment for the companies we hope will start, grow and stay in Connecticut. Onyeka Obiocha is the executive director of CTNext, a quasi-public economic development agency. OTHER VOICES Movers & Shakers

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